Government proposes internet ‘mediation service'

People should be able to demand that inaccurate data is deleted from the web,
says Ed Vaizey, the minister for communications.

Ed Vaizey, the minister for culture, believes a mediation service would make it easier for people to request that inaccurate or inappropriate information is removed from the webPhoto: IAN JONES

By Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor

11:36AM GMT 02 Nov 2010

Ed Vaizey told the House of Commons that a mediation service would help make it easier for people to request that inaccurate personal information is removed from the internet.

He cited the case of a women’s refuge, which appeared on Google Street View, as a situation in which a mediation service could have helped. Mr Vaizey said that pleas from the refuge to get its location removed from Google Maps fell on deaf ears, and there was frustration that the process for getting the data taken down was not more straightforward.

“The fact that no meeting or dialogue could take place worries me greatly,” he said.

It is likely that the burden of any mediation service would fall to internet service providers, in much the same way that Nominet, the UK’s internet registry, deals with domain name disputes.

"Nominet, the charity that is responsible for internet domain names, runs an extremely effective mediation service, so that people who are disputing the ownership of an internet domain name may be involved in a low-cost process to discuss how to resolve that dispute," Mr Vaizey told the House of Commons during an adjournment debate.

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"It is certainly worth the Government brokering a conversation with the internet industry about setting up a mediation service for consumers who have legitimate concerns that their privacy has been breached or that online information about them is inaccurate or constitutes a gross invasion of their privacy to discuss whether there is any way to remove access to that information.”

However, the Internet Service Providers Association, which represents ISPs, expressed concern about the proposals, and believes there are already a number of avenues available to people who wish to have content removed from the internet.

“The ISPA is concerned about the potential for any additional burden on ISPs and questions, for example, how a mediation service would work with content hosted outside the UK,” said a spokesman for the organisation.

Court action will not be required before ISPs can be asked to remove inappropriate or inaccurate content. Mr Vaizey said that the Government would open discussions with internet service providers to establish the practical steps that would be needed to remove data from the web.

“We are keen to explore ideas for how we can work together with industry to improve the customer experience around complains and problems with service, as well as other online issues, including a mediation service,” said the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in a statement.

“Ed Vaizey will write to internet service providers and other key players to set up a meeting to explore various options.”